Restraint
by EarlyBird31
Summary: A near death experience puts things in perspective. Mako decides that enough is enough. Yes, it's a lemon.


**Title:** Restraint.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Avatar: The Last Airbender_.

**AN: **So the title makes this sound waaaaaay kinkier than it actually is. ALSO, most importantly, this oneshot is in collaboration with the story "SelfDefense" by the lovely and talented NapTime69. This is an alternative (and smuttier) ending to her story. It's not completely necessary to read "SelfDefense" to understand what's happening here, but it's less PWP when put into some context. Speaking of which, I should also mention that I wrote this before the season had ended, so... yeah.

* * *

Korra was sitting hunched over on the edge of the truck bed when Mako was finally relieved of guard duty by a police officer. He flopped down next to her, the satomobile sinking a bit under the added weight. Korra continued to stare at the ground at something Mako couldn't see. He waited for her to speak.

"I've never killed anyone before," she spoke the words so quietly that Mako couldn't be sure if he was even meant to hear. He took a deep breath.

"It was an accident," Mako said reassuringly. "You were being attacked. What were you supposed to do?"

Korra let out a long sigh.

"Show restraint," she replied, her voice weary with defeat.

"Hey," Mako said, somewhat impulsively after a moment or two of silence. "Do you want to go grab a bite to eat after we file our reports? There's this new restaurant I've heard good things about."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Mako," said Korra, avoiding his gaze. "I'm kind of tired."

She was scaring him. Sometimes Mako was amazed that Korra wasn't born a firebender in the Fire Nation. She was usually just so lively and so full of energy. There was just something so _wrong_ about the look of despair etched across her face.

And her reply to his invitation hadn't exactly been a surprise. Korra seemed reluctant to spend time alone with him. Mako had broken up with Asami months ago and he thought that would be enough to repair his friendship with Korra. Evidently, he had been mistaken.

Initially he had assumed that Korra was giving him the cold shoulder because she was under a lot of pressure and the stress was wearing her down. But he soon began to realize that her aloofness was reserved for him and him only.

Mako was trying to redeem himself and make it up to her – trying to show her how much he cared. In the mornings he woke early to meditate with Tenzin and the air acolytes. Whenever Pema needed a reprieve from her maternal and domestic duties Mako was there to step in and offer a helping hand. He spent time in the downtown library, immersed in scrolls, trying to absorb information about the origins of firebending and new firebending techniques. The only reason he had volunteered for the task force was because I wanted to be at her side and have her back.

Part of him was bitter, though he knew he had no right to be. What was it that she had said? That she thought they were meant for each other? It was clear now that she had changed her mind.

"Alright," he sighed. "You'll at least let me try my hand at making you some seaweed noodles? I know they're your favorite."

Her stomach growled and she smiled sheepishly. "Sure," she said. And Mako was certain that had her stomach not given her hunger away she would have refused him again. Tenzin, Pema, and the kids were away visiting Katara, so unless Bolin and Asami had miraculously learned how to cook, there would be no dinner waiting for them.

* * *

In fact, all that awaited Mako and Korra was an empty house and a short note.

"Need meat. Gone fishing. Back in a few hours. Bolin and Asami."

"I guess that means Asami's back from her trip to Ba Sing Se," said Korra.

"I hope her meeting with the Earth King went well," Mako spoke without emoting. It had been weeks since Korra last searched his face and read his reactions to any mention of Asami, but Mako wanted to be cautious.

"I'm going to go outside and practice my airbending forms," she said, as Mako began gathering ingredients. "Let me know when food's ready."

He had hoped that they could talk while he worked but understood that she needed space, so he nodded and said, "sure," while resisting the urge to watch her walk away.

The noodles were almost ready when he heard the unmistakable sound of Korra's laughter. Mako rushed the last few steps and hurried out the door to see what was so funny.

Korra was sitting on the terrace wall with one of the White Lotus sentries. The man's arm was draped loosely around her shoulders and their thighs were touching. Mako's hands itched to ignite and blast the guard off the wall with a stream of fire. Neither seemed to notice his approach, likely because Korra was busy laughing, and the guard was busy staring at her chest.

"It's done," said Mako. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and tried to look unaffected by their display. Korra wasn't his girlfriend. He wasn't allowed to feel resentment when she flirted with other guys.

"Cool," she replied flatly, displaying little interest. "Just give me a few more minutes, okay? We're having a conversation."

"Sure," Mako forced a smile, ignoring the hot waves of anger that were sweeping down his back. "Take your time." If the sun hadn't already set he would probably be breathing fire.

He glanced over his shoulder as he retreated back into the house and caught a glimpse of a smirk on Korra's face. A smug, satisfied smile that was like a punch in the gut. She was _trying_ to make him jealous.

Mako let the door slam shut behind him and resisted the urge to drive a flaming fist through the wall. They were in the middle of a war and she was going to play games with him? They cheated death every time they went out on another raid. And hour ago she was in grieving the life she had been forced to take and now she was flirting with this sentry just to make Mako jealous. Well, at least she had accomplished her goal. She wanted to make him angry and now he was furious. He wouldn't be surprised if smoke was pouring from his ears.

Any moment now Korra was going to come strolling through the door with wide, innocent blue eyes and a shadow of a smirk. Mako didn't trust himself not to explode so he stalked off to the men's dormitory before the inevitable crash and burn. It had been an excruciatingly long day and all he wanted was a shower and his bed.

He stood under the cascade of freezing water for a good fifteen minutes before his rage finally simmered down. Choosing Asami over Korra had been a mistake, but wasn't being alone punishment enough? He doubted that she actually felt anything for the sentry. She was flirting with him, but she didn't look at him the way she used to look at Mako.

After his shower Mako dried himself off with a terrycloth towel and put on a pair of fresh boxer shorts. By morning he knew that his anger and jealousy would be forgotten, so the sooner he went to bed the sooner he would start feeling less miserable.

His efforts to fall asleep were interrupted by the sound of knuckles rapping against his door. He knew instantly that Korra was on the other side.

"Mako?" she called. "Are you in there? It's Korra."

He was tempted to stay silent and let her draw her own conclusions but in the end he couldn't resist knowing what brought her to his door. Maybe she wanted to apologize for stringing him along? Mako sincerely doubted it, but he certainly wouldn't complain if he were right.

"Hold on a minute," he replied, rising out of bed to cross the room and open the door. But before he could reach his destination, Korra was already barging into his room as if it were her own. Mako's stomach dropped.

"W-what are you wearing?" he stuttered, eyes widened in astonishment. Aside from her various uniforms Mako didn't think Korra owned anything other than her traditional water tribe clothes. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine he'd catch her in a nightgown, a fitted, obscenely short and flimsy, almost transparent, dark blue nightgown.

He considered her to be uncommonly good-looking and had felt an attraction to her since the day they first met, but – had her legs always been this long? With her hair down, soft, brown strands loosely framing her face, she looked… pretty, and more like a girl. Though with the gown's low neckline revealing an eyeful of cleavage, it was also painfully obvious that she was a woman.

"Asami gave it to me for my birthday," Korra said calmly, as if there was nothing unusual about her attire. "I'm breaking it in."

"Breaking it in?" he echoed before swallowing dryly. Mako knew he was blatantly staring but couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was a goddess, and though his sexual desire for her wasn't exactly new, he couldn't remember ever wanting so badly to strip her naked and fuck her into a mattress.

"So there are some noodles left," she said, ignoring his question. "I'm going to give them to Howl, okay?"

"Howl?" he asked, unable to do much more than repeat her words. Mako was stupid for her, _unbelievably_ stupid for her.

"The White Lotus guard."

Mako felt his blood rapidly begin to boil again. The fire returned, twisting and burning in his chest. Both the pain and the anger had never been so fierce or so hot. It was really only a matter of time before it consumed him and he burst into flames. How else was Mako supposed to feel when Korra charged into his room dressed like walking, talking sex, and asked if she can share the meal he had made for her out of love with another man.

What. The. Fuck.

"Which guard?" His jaw was clenched and his palms hurt from the heat of suppressed fury.

"The cute one," she replied, and his anger must have been apparent because there was laughter in her tone. She was laughing at his struggle, as if this were all some stupid game.

Mako snapped.

Without any warning he pounced on her, gripping her by the shoulders and slamming her into the wall.

"Mako?" she gasped, shocked and indignant as he grabbed her wrists and forced them above her head to keep her from pushing him away.

"Shut up," he murmured, and then he kissed her – _hard_.

And Korra kissed back with surprising enthusiasm, but it was nothing compared to the brutal pressure of his mouth on hers, or the way he ruthlessly shoved his tongue past the seam of her lips. She tasted like leechi juice, a flavor he had never been particularly keen on but now found both sweet and addicting. His grip on her wrists was vice-like and bruising, but she didn't struggle.

He pulled away momentarily when his lungs felt as if they were about to burst and then he dove back in to kiss her again and again until her lips were red and swollen. More than anything he wanted her to burn and he was prepared to give it to her, hot and heavy.

Korra was breathless and panting when Mako finally stopped kissing her and he would have been satisfied if she had not looked so fucking pleased with herself. He knew that he should have released her. The mature thing to do would have been to keep their clothes on and sit and talk about their feelings. But how was he supposed to work up the resolve to stop when she was staring at him, not with trepidation or disgust, but with raw desire?

Mako pressed a kiss to her jaw and dragged his lips down the slope of her neck, sucking harshly, determined to leave lasting marks. He wanted everyone to know that she was his. When she dressed for raids he wanted her to see the marks in the mirror and remember how it felt to have his tongue on her skin. He wanted them to be a reminder and a reason to make it out alive – even if it meant taking a life. She wasn't just the Avatar to him and he wanted to make sure she knew it.

Korra moaned quietly and the sound vibrated in her throat and against Mako's lips, sending his blood rushing south. He felt her sag against the wall, and realizing that his kisses had made her weak at the knees, he graciously decided to help her out. Unwilling to forfeit control, he kept her arms pinned above her head with one hand gripping both wrists tightly, while using the other hand to caress her, trailing fingertips down her arm, down her neck, and slowly down her chest. He grazed her breast with his entire palm and stroked her nipple with his thumb until he felt it harden under the thin fabric of her nightgown. He smirked against her neck when her back arched and pushed against his hand.

It was a good start, but he wouldn't have been satisfied until she was screaming his name.

Mako's hand settled on her waist to hold her upright and keep her from collapsing. As an extra precaution, he nudged her thighs apart with his knee and kept one of his legs wedged between hers. He didn't know whether she gasped at the feel of his hardness rubbing against her or the feel or his tongue brushing across her collarbone. He didn't really care.

But when Korra moaned his name and rolled her hips against his, Mako's resolve shattered and he dropped her arms. He needed two hands for what he wanted to try next.

Before he could make his move, Korra distracted him with kisses, long, deep kisses that made Mako wonder about the nature of her feelings for him. He couldn't remember a time when he didn't fantasize about kissing her senseless, and the way she clung to him now, the way she trembled, made him believe that she had never stopped wanting him after all. Maybe she had just been waiting for him to make a move.

Mako pulled the hem of her nightgown up until it bunched around her hips, and he held it there with one hand while his other reached between her legs. She moaned when his fingers brushed over the damp cotton of her underwear, and he used this sudden outburst as an opportunity to drag his lips from her mouth to her ear.

"Already so wet…" Mako whispered against her hair as he deftly pushed aside the fabric to sink a finger into her soaking heat. "Tell me that you put this dress on for me, and tell me that this is what you came her for."

"It's not my fault that that you don't have the balls to make a move yourself." Korra said, moving eagerly against his hand and grinning triumphantly. "Now less talking and more fucking,"

"I don't think so," Mako said lowly, his voice rumbling in her ear. She had been driving him crazy for far too long for him to let her win this easily. His grip on her hip tightened and he pushed her back, flattening her body against the wall. He had to hunch slightly and bend his knees to reach the right angle but it was worth it.

"Mako…" she whined, struggling against his hold. "You're going to slow, I – "

"Stop," he ordered roughly. His command silenced her and she ceased moving. "I'm going to fuck you, and we'll take it as fast or as slow as I want, but first you're going to tell me what I want to hear."

"No," said Korra, pouting, and Mako could feel the beads of sweat that had been forming on at her hairline roll down her temple. Why did she insist on being stubborn?

"You were wet for me before you even knocked on this door, weren't you?" he asked, adding a second finger. And when she refused to respond he pushed his fingers deeper and deeper inside of her until he had reached his last knuckle.

"Maybe," she managed breathlessly after a sharp intake of air. Her palms were still pressed against the wall. It was clear that Korra was enjoying herself. Mako had no doubt that if this wasn't exactly what she had wanted she would have thrown him across the room by now.

Encouraged, he twisted his two fingers inside of her and began to slowly pump them in and out, while his thumb reached to rub that tiny spot where he knew she would be most sensitive. Mako was rewarded with a keen cry.

"What have you been thinking about that has you all hot and bothered?" He asked after taking a moment to nip at her ear.

Though what he really wanted to know was why she had suddenly chosen to drastically change their relationship. An hour ago she had been making every effort to ignore his existence, now she was shamelessly panting as he fingered her against the wall. Not that Mako was complaining. He had never witnessed a more arousing sight and wondered how far he would have to go until she started begging.

"It was the way you were looking at me out there," she said, reading his mind and bucking her hips. "Like you wanted to tear my clothes off."

"Patience, Korra," he chided mockingly. While one hand remained busy between her thighs the other moved to grab her wrist. She was shaking almost violently so he graciously caressed the soft underside of her arm before bringing her hand to the waistband of his boxers. "Show me what you want."

It took effort for Mako to stifle a groan when she eased his shorts down and wrapped her hand around his erection. He didn't want to give her any reason to claim victory. No, he wanted to give her something else.

"Put your hands on my shoulders," he commanded. Korra looked confused but she immediately complied.

"What are you…" her voice trailed off and she whined in disappointment when he withdrew his fingers. In what was likely and act of petty rebellion she pushed his knee away and clamped her legs shut.

"I thought you wanted me to tear your clothes off," he questioned, an unfamiliar darkness in his tone.

"Oh, I _do_," Korra snapped. She was sweaty and flushed but there was deviousness sparkling in her eyes. "But you're taking too long. Are you sure you're not a rookie in the bedroom too?"

And Mako responded the best way he knew how, with a searing hot kiss that left them both gasping for air. He was certain that she wouldn't be regretting this in the morning.

"Now spread your legs," he said softly, though there was nothing gentle about his tone.

"Fine," she swallowed audibly before obeying. "Happy now?" she asked, glowering at him.

"Not yet," Mako replied. He leaned in to hook his thumbs in the sides of her underwear and slowly pull them down her thighs until they dropped to the ground. "But we're getting close."

"Congratulations," said Korra sarcastically. "I've been here almost twenty minutes now and you've finally gotten me out of my underwear."

"If I had known you were so hot for me I would have just had my way with you in the back of that truck," he said, slipping his hand under her nightgown to gently massage her breasts. "You're such a show off. I'm sure you wouldn't have cared about who might be watching."

"Judging by your performance now, it wouldn't have been much of a show," she said, clearly lying.

"Or maybe I would have bent you over the kitchen table and taken you from behind." He pinched and teased her nipples playfully, smirking as she mewled in response. "But I guess for now this will have to suffice."

Mako was impossibly hard and aching, wanting nothing more than to feel her slick heat. And without preamble or warning, he hooked his arm under her knee, lifted it to his waist, and plunged inside of her.

"Fuck!" Korra cried out, leaning forward to loop her arms around his neck.

She was so hot and so wet and so tight that it took every ounce of Mako's willpower not to pound into her with the force of a stampede. This wasn't just any girl; this was Korra, the girl who made him dizzy with emotion. His love for her could never be rivaled and he didn't want her to feel like she was an empty, meaningless fuck. She drove him crazy and he was so fucking stupid for her. His world revolved around hers, and her happiness meant everything to him.

And there were a million reasons why this was so. Korra rolled her hips and smiled mischievously before arching against him, tightening her hold around his neck, pulling herself up, and finally wrapping her legs around his waist.

"Is that all you got?" she groaned, her eyes shut and forehead resting against his.

He wanted to tease her with slow, gentle strokes. He wanted to make her moan in frustration and plead with him to take her hard and fast, but he was too far gone for that fantasy. Desperate to prove himself worthy, Mako slammed her back against the wall once more, pushing farther and deeper inside of her. He let loose all of his pent up anger and tension, his pelvis driving forth with the rhythm and intensity of a jackhammer.

Mako's arms shot out to brace the wall, prompting Korra to throw her head back and slide her hands down his shoulders to squeeze his biceps. He was vaguely aware that by this point they were both drenched in sweat and that was only because his lips had again found their way to her neck.

It was fortunate that the Tenzin and his family weren't home because Korra was a screamer. Mako was sure that he couldn't have been thrusting for more than a short minutes when he both heard and felt Korra come with his name on her lips. Feeling the waves of contractions and the sting of her nails digging into his skin almost sent him over the edge. Almost.

Mako excelled at firebending because he was unflinchingly determined and had a complete control over his impulses, rarely allowing his body to act without the express consent of his mind. It almost killed him to pull out after Korra collapsed boneless and panting against him, but he was proud of himself nonetheless.

"I'm not finished with you yet," he whispered breathlessly into her ear. "You're going to be sore in the morning."

"Tick-tock, Mr. Hat Trick," she said, kissing his sweaty forehead. "You've still got two to go."

She really would be the death of him.

Mako backed away from the wall, taking great care not to trip over any fallen undergarments, and tossed Korra none to gently onto the bed.

And she giggled. She fucking giggled.

* * *

**The End.**

Thank you for reading! This is the first time I've written something sexual and I've been way shy about posting it. I guess this is something I can check off my bucket list! Leave a review if you're so inclined...


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